Spring-motor



(No 166661.). 2 sheet`shee6 a.

G. W. PARKER. SPRING MOTOR'.`

No. 676,266. Patented 066.27, 1696.

of the outer frame removed and showing only UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

GEORGE 1V. PARKER, OF BAINBRIDGE, NEV YORK.

SPRING-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,266, dated October 27, 1896.

Application filed March 4, 1896. Serial No. 581,826. (No model.)

To all wiz/0771, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bainbridge, in the county of Chenango and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Hotors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improved spring motor for use on bicycles.

The main object of myinvention is the production of a motor in which the operatingspring may loe automatically wound either while the bicycle is descending a grade (in which case the power exerted in winding the spring is utilized to govern the momentum of the bicycle) or while the rider is pedaling on a level, the motor, when the spring is wound, serving to propel the machine on a level and aid in its propulsion while ascending a grade.

Another object is to provide means for automatically governing the winding of the spring, whereby the latter is prevented from being wound beyond a predetermined tension.

Another object is to provide means for indicating to the rider at a glance the number of coils in which the spring is wound, whereby he may know at all times what power, if any, it is capable of exerting.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the details of construction and combinations of parts, which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of my improved motor with the near side a portion of the casing. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the motor in its casing attached to the frame of a bicycle, the main wheel of the motor being` shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the motor, its main wheel and the combined sprocket and gear wheel on the bi'- cycle being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the motor without the casing. Fig. 5 is a detail view in elevation, illustrating the mechanism for transmitting the power of the spring to the bicycle.

Referring to the drawings, A is the fixed or outer frame, and B vthe swinging or inner frame, preferably of diamond shape, the va rious parts of the mechanism being mounted in these two frames.

C is a shaft fixed in the inner frame, with its ends loosely mounted in the outer frame, and on this shaft, within the inner frame, is placed a loose sleeve 1, to which is attached one end of a mainspring D, the other end of which is secured to the outer frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and on one end of this sleeve is rigidly mounted a driving gear-wheel E.

In the lower portion of the inner frame is journaled a two-part shaft F F, the part F having a round tenon 2, adapted to pass loosely through a correspondingly-shaped opening 3, formed in the part F'. On the part F are rigidly mounted a bevel gear-wheel 4 and a small ratchet-pinion 5, and on the part F', at its inner end and adjacent to the pinion 5, is rigidly fixed another bevel gearwheel 6, which carries on its inner side a spring-pressed pawl 7, adapted to engage with the ratchet-pinion 5, and to the outer side of the wheel 6 is secured a ratchet-wheel S of slightly-greater diameter t-han the wheel 6. On the outer end of part F of the shaft is fixed a gear-wheel G, which meshes with the drivingewheel E, and on the outer end of part F, which extends through a slot 9 in the casing, is xed a large gear-wheel H.

In mesh with the bevel gear-wheels 4 and G is a bevel gear-pinion 10, which is revolubly carried by an arm 11, loosely secured at its rear end to a rod 12, fixed in the inner frame. On this rod 12, adjacent to the arm 11, is also loosely secured a ratchetdinger 13, which engages with the ratchet-wheel 8 and rests on and is operated by a pin 14, projecting laterally from arm 11, which arm is held normally in position by a spring 15, coiled around rod 12 with its free end entering the arm,as shown;

A shaft 16, loosely mounted in the outer frame, carries near each end a pair of integral diverging arms 17, each formed at its lower end with a notch 18, adapted to engage with lateral pins 19, projecting one from each of a similar pair of arms 20, loosely mounted on rod 12, near each end thereof, this construction forming a double togglejoint for the operation of the swinging frame, as here `inafter described.

On the shaft 16, about midway of its length IOO and adjustably secured by a set-screw 21, is a curved linger 22, the free end of which passes through a loop 23 on an operating-rod Lwhich rod passes through a hole 24 in arm ll and has its lower end screw-threaded to receive a nut 25. The upper end of rod I is pivoted to a disk 2G, pivoted to a plate 27, fixed to the upper frame-bar c of the bicycle, as shown in Fig. 2. The disk 26 is provided with a handle 28, adapted to engage with either of two studs 29, fixed in the plate 27, whereby the movement of the disk is limited.

Above the inner frame, with its ends journaled in the outer frame, is a shaft 30, on which, near one end, is fixed an indicatorwheel J, provided on its periphery with a series of consecutive numerals, beginning with zero and running up to any number corresponding with the number of coils in which the mainsprin g can be wound, and to one side of this indicator is secured a toothed wheel 3l of slightly greater diameter than the indicator. The teeth on this wheel are successively engaged by a laterally-projecting pin 32, fixed in the driving-wheel E, the pin and toothed wheel being so arranged that as each coil of the spring is wound or unwound on the sleeve 2 the pin will contact with a tooth on wheel 3l and move the indicator, so as to indicate one ligure higher or lower, as will be apparent from the drawings.

On the shaft 30 is fixed a trip-finger 33, and secured in the outer end of arm ll and rising therefrom into the path of the trip 33 is a wire loop 34, for a purpose hereinafter described.

It will be seen that by means of the shaft C the inner frame is pivotally connected to the outer frame, the former being normally held in an elevated position by means of a spiral spring 35, secured at one end to the inner frame and at the other end to the outer frame, as shown in Fig. l.

The fixed or outer frame is to be entirely covered by a thin metal casing K, which is provided with a slot 9, hereinbei'ore described, and with an opening 3G in its top, through which the rider may see the indicator J. The casing is provided on each end with an upper and a lower guide 37, permitting the casing and motor therein to be slid down into place on the converging frame-barsf of the bicycle, and to the casing on each end between the guides is fixed a spring-clip 38, adapted to be sprung around the frame-bars and secured by a set-screw 39.

The main gear-wheel II of the motor, which, as before stated, is mounted on the part Fof the two-part shaft outside the casing K, is adapted to engage, on the hereinafter-described movement of the swinging frame, with a large gear-wheel L, fixed to or integral with the sprocket or chain wheel M ofthe bicycle, as shown in Fig.

The parts being assembled as above described and the handle 28 of the disk 26 standing vertical, in which position the swinging frame is elevated, the operation of my motor is as follows: The handle 28 is turned toward the rear until stopped by the stud 29, this movement causing the toggle-joints to lower the end of the swinging frame and throw its main wheel II into mesh with the gear-wheel L, when the revolution of the latter, due to the sprocket-wheel M, will transmit motion to the part F of the two-part main shaft. The revolution of this part of the shaft, by means of its bevel gear-wheel 4, the bevel gear-pinion l0 on arm ll, and the bevel gear-wheel G on part F', causes the part F to revolve in the opposite direction, the pawl 7 thereon riding over the ratchet-pinion 5, and the ratchetfinger 13 engaging with the teeth on wheel 8 to prevent return movement of the part F. This reverse revolution of the part F causes the gear-wheel G, secured on the end thereof and meshing with the driving-wheel E, to wind the mainspring D, each revolution of the wheel E moving the indicator J, as hereinbefore described. Vhen the spring has been fully wound and it is desired to utilize its power, the handle 28 ofthe disk 26 is moved forward, which, after it has passed the vertical position,again lowers the swinging frame into operative position, the continued raising of the rod I causing the nut 25, secured on the lower end of the rod, to contact with and raise the arm l1, thus raising the bevel-pinion l0 from engagement with the bevel gearwheels 4 and G, the upward movement of the arm ll through the pin 14 raising the finger 13, so as to allow free movement of the wheel G. The pawl 7 now engages with the ratchetpinion 5, locking the two parts of the shaft together, so that the unwinding of the mainspring eauses the main wheel II to be revolved in the same direction as when winding the spring. It' the spring is fully wound the trip 33 on the shaft 30 will contact with the loop 34, and on a slightly further revolution of shaft SO will raise the arm ll, thus automatically raising the bevel-pinion l0 from engagement with the gear-wheels 4 and 6 and preventing further winding of the spring. It is evident from the above construction that by placing the trip 33 in any position relative to the indicator-numerals the winding of the spring can be stopped automatically at any predetermined tension.

By means of the hereinbefore-described indicator each coil of the mainspring D, when being wound or unwound, will be automatically registered, so that the rider may determine at a glance what power, if any, the spring is capable of exerting.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

l. In a spring-motor, the combination, with a bicycle, of a spring-actuated driving-wheel, a two-part shaft carrying a gear-wheel on the outer end of each respective part, said gearwheels meshing respectively with the driving-wheel and with a gear-wheel on the bicy- IOO IIO

cle, a bevel gear-wheel secured on the inner end of eac-h part of said shaft, a bevel-pinion meshing with the bevel gear-wheels and causing the respective parts of the shaft to be revolved in opposite directions, said bevelpinion being adapted to be thrown out of mesh with the bevel gear-wheels, and means for automatically locliin g the two parts of the shaft together during the unwinding of the spring.

2. In a spring-motor, the combination,with a bicycle, of a fixed frame, a swinging frame pivotally secured in the fixed frame, a springactuated driving-wheel mounted in the swinging frame, a two-part shaft mounted in the swinging frame, one part of said shaft carrying a gear-wheel which meshes with the driving-wheel, the other part carrying a wheel adapted on movement of the swinging frame to mesh with a gear-wheel on the bicycle, and means for causing the two parts of the shaft to be revolved in opposite directions while the spring is being Wound and in the same direction during the unwinding of the spring.

3. In a spring-motor, the combination,with a bicycle, of a fixed frame, a swinging frame pivotally secured in the fixed frame, a twopart shaft mounted in the swinging frame, mechanism for driving the respective parts of said shaft in opposite directions, said mechanism being adapted to be thrown out of operation, and means for automatically locking the two parts of the shaft together when said mechanism is out of operation.

4. In a spring-motor, the combination, with a bicycle, of a fixed frame, a swinging frame, a shaft rigid in the swinging frame and loosely mounted in the fixed frame, a sleeve loose on said shaft and carrying a driving-wheel on its outer end, a mainspring secured to said sleeve and to the fixed frame, a two part shaft mounted in the swinging frame and carrying gear-wheels meshing respectively with the driving-wheel and with a gear-wheel on the bicycle, bevel-gearing for causing the respective parts of said two-part shaft to be revolved in opposite directions while the mainspring is being wound, ratchet-and-pawl mechanism for locking the two parts of the shaft together during the unwinding of the spring, and means for automatically registering the number of coils in which said spring is wound.

5. In a spring-motor, the combination, with a bicycle, of a fixed frame, a swinging frame, a shaft rigid in the swinging frame and loosely mounted in the fixed frame, a sleeve loose 011 said shaft and carrying a drivin g-wheel on one end, a mainspring secured to said sleeve and to the fixed frame, a two-part shaft mounted in the swinging frame and carrying gearwheels meshing respectively with the drivingwheel and with a gear-wheel on the bicycle, bevel-gearing for causing the respective parts of said two-part shaft to be revolved in opposite directions while the mainspring is being Wound, ratchet-and-pawl mechanism for locking the two parts of the shaft together during the unwinding of the spring, a shaft journaled in the swinging frame and carrying an indicator-wheel provided on its periphery with a series of consecutive numerals, and means for operating said indicator-wheel to register the number of coils in which said main spring is wound.

G. In a spring-motor, the combination, with a bicycle, a mainspring, a driving-wheel, a two-part shaft carrying gear-wheels meshing respectively with the drivin g-wheel and with a gear-wheel on the bicycle, mechanism for causing the respective parts of the shaft to be driven in opposite directions while the spring is being wound, and means for automatically throwing said mechanism out of operation, whereby the mainspring is pre- 

